Brown Sugar Spice Cookies

If you like sugar cookies, molasses cookies or snickerdoodles, you definitely have to try these. They’re like a wonderful blend of all three. I had my doubts about making these cookies when I saw how much brown sugar the original recipe called for. I thought they’d be way to sweet for my liking. Thus, I threw nutmeg and cinnamon into the coating mix to give it more of a spice flavor … and they turned out amazing. There is a great deal of fuss involved in making them, but, believe me, it’s definitely worth it in the end. 

14 tablespoons butter (1 3/4 sticks), divided
1- 3/4 cups packed brown sugar

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Coating:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Heat 10 Tbsp. butter in a medium uncoated - not non-stick - saucepan over medium heat until melted (about 2 minutes). Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma - 2 to 3 minutes. Browned butter can burn easily and quickly so keep a close eye on it. Remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the browned butter to a large heatproof bowl. Stir the remaining 4 Tbsp. butter into the hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Line two large baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together and set aside. Add remaining 1-3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to the bowl with the cooled butter and mix until no sugar lumps remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg, yolk and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined (about 1 minute). Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

In a shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix the coating ingredients together, rubbing it between your fingers until well combined and free of lumps. Divide the dough into 24 portions, each about 2 Tbsp., forming balls about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, toss the balls in the coating mixture. When completely coated, set them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, 12 dough balls per sheet. Smaller baking sheets can be used, but it will take 3 batches. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and the edges have begun to set but the centers are still soft - about 12 minutes. Cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone – don’t overbake. Cool the cookies for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheets and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.